BEIJING, Oct 28: Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in North Korea on Friday and seemed to immediately win a pledge from his host, Kim Jong-Il, to attend upcoming nuclear talks.

The next and fifth round of six-party talks involving the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States is expected in Beijing next month.

“North Korea will attend the fifth round of six-party talks as scheduled, based on the commitments it has previously made,” Mr Kim said shortly after Mr Hu arrived by plane in Pyongyang.

Mr Hu advised Mr Kim not to veer from the road of dialogue.

“China stresses the need to stick to the objective of a nuclear-free peninsula, and stick to a course of dialogue and peaceful resolution, so as to preserve peace and stability on the peninsula and in the region,” he said.

Mr Hu’s main mission is to convince his hosts of the need to stick to commitments they made in talks last month.—AFP